Illinois' unemployment rate fell in December to 6.2 percent. That's the lowest it has been in almost seven years and represents the ninth monthly decrease in the past 10 months.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security said Friday that the improved jobless rate was a product of strong job growth in construction, leisure and hospitality and the educational and health services sector.
But newly appointed department Director Jeff Mays said the improvement still meant Illinois lagged behind the nation as a whole. U.S. unemployment fell to 5.6 percent in December.
The department said Illinois construction firms added a net 6,000 jobs in December. Educational and health services employers added 4,700 jobs. Leisure and hospitality companies added 4,500.
The last time Illinois' jobless rate was this low was in May 2008.
Illinois jobless rate falls to 6.2 percent, lowest since '08
